Large Scan-Range UHV-AFM

The resolution in Electrostatic Force Microscopy (EFM), a descendant of atomic force microscopy (AFM), has reached nanometer dimensions,
necessary to investigate circuits in modern electronic devices. However, the characterization of conducting or semiconducting power
devices with EFM methods requires an accurate and reliable technique from the nanometer up to the micrometer scale. For high force
sensitivity it is indispensable to operate the microscope under high to ultra-high vacuum (UHV) conditions to suppress viscous damping
of the sensor. Furthermore, UHV environment allows the analysis of clean surfaces under controlled environmental conditions. Because
of these requirements we built a large area scanning probe microscope (SPM) operating in UHV conditions at room temperature allowing
to perform various electrical measurements, like Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy (KPFM), Scanning Capacitance Force Microscopy (SCFM),
Scanning Spreading Resistance Microscopy (SSRM), and also Electrostatic Force Microscopy (EFM) at higher harmonics. The instrument
incorporates beside a beam deflection detection system a closed loop scanner with a scan range of 10µm in lateral 25µm in vertical
direction as well as an additional light fibre feed-through for opto-electronic excitation measurements like surface photo voltage
(SPV) detection.